Hindi Sarvanam (सर्वनाम) Guide: 6 Types, Tu Tum Aap, Case Forms & Examples | Part 6
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LEARN HINDI GRAMMAR — PART 6 OF 13
Hindi Sarvanam — Complete Pronoun Guide
सर्वनाम — संज्ञा का स्थान लेने वाला शब्द
Master all 6 types of Hindi Pronouns — Purushvaachak, Nishchayvachak, Anishchayvachak, Sambandhavaachak, Prashnavaachak & Nijvaachak — plus case forms, Tu/Tum/Aap distinction, and 100+ examples.
This guide includes: 6 pronoun types + Purush (3 persons) table + Tu/Tum/Aap respect levels + case forms + 100+ examples + 10-Q quiz & 5 FAQs.
6
Pronoun Types
3
Persons (Purush)
3
Respect Levels
100+
Examples
PART 6📖 15 min read🎯 Beginner–IntermediatePublished: March 18, 2026
📚 NCERT/RBSE aligned•🌍 For English speakers•✅ School-level grammar
📅 Published: March 18, 2026✍️ ncertclasses.com Editorial Team📚 Part 6 of 13
📝 Editorial Note: Follows school-level Hindi grammar (NCERT/RBSE). Designed for English speakers and global learners. Linguistic nuance noted where relevant.
Sarvanam (सर्वनाम) means pronoun in Hindi — a word used in place of a noun (Sangya) to avoid repetition. The word literally means sarva (all/everyone's) + naam (name) — a word that can stand in for any name.
Example: Instead of saying "राम बाज़ार गया। राम ने सब्ज़ी खरीदी।" we say "राम बाज़ार गया। उसने सब्ज़ी खरीदी।" — the word उसने (usne = he/by him) is the Sarvanam replacing राम.
सर्वनाम = संज्ञा के स्थान पर प्रयुक्त होने वाला शब्द। मैं • तुम • वह • यह • कौन • कोई • जो • स्वयं = सर्वनाम के उदाहरण
Section 1
What is Sarvanam?सर्वनाम क्या है?
Sarvanam replaces Sangya (noun) to avoid repetition — making Hindi speech and writing natural and fluent
सर्वनाम वह शब्द है जो संज्ञा के स्थान पर प्रयोग किया जाता है। Sarvanam = the word used in place of a Sangya (noun) to avoid repetition.
💡
Sarvanam vs Sangya — The Key Relationship
Every Sarvanam replaces a Sangya. In the sentence "राम आया, वह थका था।" — वह (vah = he) is the Sarvanam that replaces राम (Sangya). Without Sarvanam, you would have to repeat "Ram" every time — which sounds unnatural in any language. Sarvanam is what makes flowing conversation possible.
Section 2
6 Types of Sarvanamसर्वनाम के 6 भेद
6 types of Hindi Sarvanam — school-level classification (NCERT/RBSE standard)
①Type 1 — Personal PronounPurushvaachak Sarvanamपुरुषवाचक सर्वनामRefers to persons — the speaker (I/we), the listener (you), or the one spoken about (he/she/they). Most common type in everyday Hindi.
②Type 2 — Demonstrative PronounNishchayvachak Sarvanamनिश्चयवाचक सर्वनामPoints to a SPECIFIC, DEFINITE person or thing. "This/These" (near) or "That/Those" (far). Indicates a known, certain entity.
Examples — Near & Far
यहयेवहवे
यह (yah) = this (near, singular) | ये (ye) = these (near, plural) वह (vah) = that (far, singular) | वे (ve) = those (far, plural) Examples:यह मेरी किताब है। (This is my book.) | वह कौन है? (Who is that?)
③Type 3 — Indefinite PronounAnishchayvachak Sarvanamअनिश्चयवाचक सर्वनामRefers to an UNCERTAIN, INDEFINITE person or thing — someone/anyone, something/anything. No specific identity known.
Examples
कोईकुछ
कोई (koi) = someone/anyone (for persons) | कुछ (kuch) = something/anything (for things) Examples:दरवाज़े पर कोई है। (Someone is at the door.) | कुछ खाना चाहिए। (Something to eat is needed.) Contrast with Nishchayvachak: कोई = uncertain | वह = certain/known person
④Type 4 — Relative PronounSambandhvaachak Sarvanamसंबंधवाचक सर्वनामConnects two clauses — refers back to a noun in the main clause. Like English "who/which/that." Always used in pairs: जो...सो/वह.
Examples
जोसोजिसेजिसका
Classic patterns: जो करेगा, सो भरेगा। (Who will do it, will bear it.) जो मेहनत करता है, वह सफल होता है। (One who works hard, succeeds.) जिसने मेहनत की, वही सफल हुआ। (The one who worked hard, succeeded.) ← exam favourite! जो = "who/which" | सो/वह = the correlative "that one"
⑤Type 5 — Interrogative PronounPrashnavaachak Sarvanamप्रश्नवाचक सर्वनामUsed to ask QUESTIONS about a person or thing. "Who?" for persons, "What?" for things. Starts a question sentence.
Examples
कौनक्याकिसेकिसकाकिसने
कौन (kaun) = who? (for persons) | क्या (kyaa) = what? (for things) Examples:कौन आया? (Who came?) | तुम क्या खाओगे? (What will you eat?) Key: कौन replaces a person-noun in the question | क्या replaces a thing-noun
⑥Type 6 — Reflexive PronounNijvaachak Sarvanamनिजवाचक सर्वनामRefers back to the subject itself — "oneself/myself/himself." Uses आप, स्वयं, or खुद to show the subject is doing something to or for itself.
Examples
स्वयंखुदअपने आपअपना
वह स्वयं आया। (He came himself.) | राम ने खुद काम किया। (Ram did the work himself.) वह अपने आप चला गया। (He left on his own.) | मैं यह काम स्वयं करूँगा। (I will do this work myself.) 📌 Note: Some traditional grammar books include 'आप' as a Nijvaachak form — but to avoid confusion with the respectful 2nd-person 'आप', modern teaching recommends स्वयं / खुद / अपने आप as clearer alternatives.
Section 3
Purushvaachak Sarvanam — 3 Personsपुरुषवाचक सर्वनाम — तीन पुरुष
Purushvaachak Sarvanam divides into 3 "persons" — a fundamental concept in Hindi grammar. Note: Hindi pronouns do NOT change for gender (unlike nouns) but they DO change for number and when used with postpositions (case forms).
Person / पुरुष
Singular (एकवचन)
Plural (बहुवचन)
English
Uttam Purush 1st Person (उत्तम) The SPEAKER
मैंmain (I)
हमham (we)
I / We
Madhyam Purush 2nd Person (मध्यम) The LISTENER
तू / तुम / आपtu / tum / aap
तुम / आपtum / aap
You (3 levels)
Anya Purush 3rd Person (अन्य) Spoken ABOUT
वह / यहvah / yah (he/she/it/this)
वे / येve / ye (they/these)
He/She/It/They
📌
Important: यह/वह Appears in TWO Types!
यह/वह can be both Purushvaachak (personal pronoun — "he/she/it") AND Nishchayvachak (demonstrative — "this/that"). Context decides the type. In "वह आया।" it is Purushvaachak (he came). In "वह किताब अच्छी है।" it points to a specific book — Nishchayvachak. Always check the sentence context!
📌
Hindi Pronouns Don't Change for Gender!
This is a major difference from nouns. वह (vah) means both "he" AND "she" — context tells you which. There is no separate "she" pronoun in Hindi! The verb form (गया/गई) shows gender, not the pronoun. वह गया। = He went. | वह गई। = She went.
Section 4
Tu, Tum, Aap — 3 Levels of Respectतू, तुम, आप — आदर के तीन स्तर
This is one of the most culturally important grammar points in Hindi. All three mean "you" — but using the wrong one can be rude or awkward!
तूInformal / IntimateUsed with: very close friends, younger children, God (in devotion) Warning: Using तू with an elder or stranger is considered rude/insulting in Indian culture
तुमSemi-formal / FriendlyUsed with: friends, siblings, younger relatives, colleagues of equal status Safe for most casual conversations. Neither too formal nor too intimate
आपFormal / RespectfulUsed with: elders, parents, teachers, strangers, officials, customers Default safe choice when unsure which level to use
🌏
Cultural Note — For English Speakers
English has only one "you" for everyone. Hindi has three levels based on social respect (आदर). When visiting India or speaking Hindi with native speakers: always start with आप until you know the person well. Switching to तुम later is natural — but going from आप to तू too quickly can offend. In Bollywood movies you'll often hear intimate relationships expressed through the shift from आप → तुम → तू.
Pronoun
Verb form (to go)
Example sentence
तू
तू जाता है / जाती है
तू कहाँ जाता है? Where are you going? (very informal)
तुम
तुम जाते हो / जाती हो
तुम कहाँ जा रहे हो? Where are you going? (friendly — natural spoken Hindi)
आप
आप जाते हैं / जाती हैं
आप कहाँ जा रहे हैं? Where are you going? (respectful — natural spoken Hindi)
Section 5
Case Forms — How Pronouns Changeकारक रूप — सर्वनाम के बदलते रूप
Hindi pronouns change their form when combined with postpositions (case markers). This is called the Karak Roop (कारक रूप). For example, मैं (I) becomes मुझे (to me), मेरा (my), मुझसे (from me).
📱 Scroll right to see full table →
Base
Subject ने (ne)
Object को (ko)
From से (se)
Of/My का/की/के
In में (mein)
By/For के लिए
मैंmain (I)
मैंनेmainne
मुझे/मुझकोmujhe
मुझसेmujhse
मेरा/मेरीmeraa/meri
मुझमेंmujhmein
मेरे लिएmere liye
हमham (we)
हमनेhamne
हमें/हमकोhamein
हमसेhamse
हमाराhamaaraa
हममेंhammein
हमारे लिएhamaare
तुमtum (you)
तुमनेtumne
तुम्हेंtumhein
तुमसेtumse
तुम्हाराtumhaaraa
तुममेंtummein
तुम्हारे लिएtumhaare
आपaap (you, formal)
आपनेaapne
आपकोaapko
आपसेaapse
आपकाaapkaa
आपमेंaapmein
आपके लिएaapke
वहvah (he/she)
उसनेusne
उसे/उसकोuse
उससेusse
उसकाuskaa
उसमेंusmein
उसके लिएuske
वेve (they)
उन्होंनेunhonne
उन्हेंunhein
उनसेunse
उनकाunkaa
उनमेंunmein
उनके लिएunke
यहyah (this)
इसनेisne
इसे/इसकोise
इससेisse
इसकाiskaa
इसमेंismein
इसके लिएiske
येye (these)
इन्होंनेinhonne
इन्हेंinhein
इनसेinse
इनकाinkaa
इनमेंinmein
इनके लिएinke
🔑
The Most Important Case Forms to Memorize
मैं → मुझे (me) | मैं → मेरा (my) | मैं → मैंने (I did) वह → उसे (him/her) | वह → उसका (his/her) | वह → उसने (he/she did) हम → हमें (us) | हम → हमारा (our) | हम → हमने (we did)
These 9 forms cover 80% of everyday Hindi pronoun usage!
Section 6
Nishchayvachak vs Anishchayvachakनिश्चयवाचक बनाम अनिश्चयवाचक
🔍
The Key Distinction — Certain vs Uncertain
Nishchayvachak (निश्चयवाचक) = you KNOW who/what it is: "यह मेरी किताब है।" — This (specific, known book) is mine. "वह आया।" — He/that one (specific known person) came.
Anishchayvachak (अनिश्चयवाचक) = you DON'T know who/what: "दरवाज़े पर कोई है।" — Someone (unknown) is at the door. "कुछ आवाज़ आई।" — Some sound came. (unidentified)
Quick test: Can you name/identify the person or thing? Yes → Nishchayvachak. No → Anishchayvachak.
Section 7
Sarvanam in Sentences — 20 Examplesसर्वनाम वाक्यों में
📝
• मैं विद्यालय जाता हूँ। — I go to school. (Uttam Purush)
• हम भारतीय हैं। — We are Indian. (Uttam Purush plural)
• तुम क्या कर रहे हो? — What are you doing? (Madhyam Purush)
• आप कहाँ रहते हैं? — Where do you live? (formal Madhyam Purush)
• वह स्कूल गई। — She went to school. (वह = he or she — verb गई shows feminine)
• वे सब मिलकर काम करते हैं। — They all work together. (Anya Purush plural)
• यह मेरी किताब है। — This is my book. (Nishchayvachak — near)
• वह कौन है? — Who is that? (Nishchayvachak — far)
• दरवाज़े पर कोई है। — Someone is at the door. (Anishchayvachak)
• मुझे कुछ खाना है। — I need to eat something. (Anishchayvachak)
• जो मेहनत करता है, वह सफल होता है। — One who works hard, succeeds. (Sambandhvaachak)
• कौन आया? — Who came? (Prashnavaachak)
• क्या हुआ? — What happened? (Prashnavaachak)
• राम ने खुद यह किया। — Ram did this himself. (Nijvaachak)
• वह स्वयं आएगी। — She will come herself. (Nijvaachak)
Section 8
Common Mistakes — Errors to Avoidसामान्य गलतियाँ
1
Using तू with elders — cultural error
The biggest social mistake Hindi learners make. तू with anyone older, senior, or unfamiliar is considered disrespectful in Indian culture. Default rule: use आप until you know the person well.✗ "तू कहाँ जाता है?" (to a teacher) ✓ "आप कहाँ जाते हैं?"
2
Thinking वह only means "he" — it means "she" too
Hindi has no separate masculine/feminine pronoun for third person. वह = he AND she. The verb ending tells you gender: वह गया (he went) vs वह गई (she went).वह गया। = He went. वह गई। = She went. (Same pronoun, different verb ending)
3
Confusing आप (respectful you) with आप (reflexive oneself)
The same word आप serves two roles. Context is everything: "आप कहाँ हैं?" = Where are you? (Purushvaachak). "वह आप ही करेगा।" = He will do it himself. (Nijvaachak).आप आइए। = Please come. (you) मैं आप ही करूँगा। = I'll do it myself. (reflexive)
4
Wrong case form — मैं vs मुझे vs मेरा
English learners often use मैं everywhere. But with postpositions the form changes: मुझे (to me), मेरा (my), मैंने (I did). This is the most common Hindi speaking error among beginners.✗ "मैं किताब दो।" (incorrect) ✓ "मुझे किताब दो।" (give me the book)
5
Using कौन for things and क्या for persons
कौन = who? (for persons only). क्या = what? (for things). Mixing these up changes the meaning completely.✗ "यह क्या है?" (asking about a person — rude!) ✓ "यह कौन है?" (who is this?) ✓ "यह क्या है?" (what is this thing?)
Section 9
Exam Tip — Quick Recognition Guideपरीक्षा टिप — त्वरित पहचान
🏆 परीक्षा टिप — Exam Tip (NCERT/RBSE)
① Purushvaachak: मैं, हम, तू, तुम, आप, वह, वे Refers to persons by role (speaker/listener/other)
② Nishchayvachak: यह, ये, वह, वे Points to KNOWN/specific person or thing
③ Anishchayvachak: कोई, कुछ UNKNOWN/uncertain person or thing
④ Sambandhvaachak: जो...सो/वह Connects two clauses — always in pairs
⑥ Nijvaachak: आप, स्वयं, खुद, निज Refers back to subject — "oneself"
💡 Memory trick: यह/वह appears in BOTH Purushvaachak and Nishchayvachak — always check the context/role in the sentence!
प्रकार / Type
Key Words
उदाहरण / Example
पुरुषवाचक Personal
मैं, हम, तू, तुम, आप, वह, वे
मैं जाता हूँ।
निश्चयवाचक Demonstrative
यह, ये, वह, वे
यह मेरी किताब है।
अनिश्चयवाचक Indefinite
कोई, कुछ
कोई आया है।
संबंधवाचक Relative
जो...सो/वह
जो करे, वह भरे।
प्रश्नवाचक Interrogative
कौन, क्या
कौन आया?
निजवाचक Reflexive
आप, स्वयं, खुद
वह स्वयं आया।
Section 10
Quick Revision Blockत्वरित पुनरावृत्ति
📊 Sarvanam — Complete Reference
Definition
संज्ञा की जगह = सर्वनाम
Word used in place of a noun to avoid repetition
6 Types
पुरुष • निश्चय • अनिश्चय संबंध • प्रश्न • निज
Personal•Demo•Indef•Rel•Interrog•Reflexive
3 Persons
उत्तम: मैं/हम मध्यम: तू/तुम/आप अन्य: वह/वे
Speaker | Listener | Spoken about
Tu/Tum/Aap
तू = informal तुम = friendly आप = respectful
3 levels of social respect — culture essential!
Key Case Forms
मैं→मुझे→मेरा वह→उसे→उसका
Pronouns change with postpositions — memorize!
No Gender Change!
वह = both he AND she. Gender shown by verb ending (गया/गई), not the pronoun itself.
Section 11
Practice Quiz — 10 Questionsअभ्यास परीक्षण
🎯 Hindi Sarvanam Quiz
10 questions • NCERT/RBSE level • Tap to answer
Q 1 / 10
What is Sarvanam in Hindi grammar?
✓ Correct! Sarvanam (सर्वनाम) is the pronoun — used in place of a Sangya (noun) to avoid repetition. सर्व (sarva = all/everyone's) + नाम (naam = name).
✗ Sarvanam is a pronoun — a word used in place of a noun (Sangya) to avoid repeating the same name again and again.
Q 2 / 10
Which Sarvanam is used to speak about YOURSELF?
✓ Correct! मैं (main = I) is Uttam Purush (1st Person) — the speaker refers to themselves. Its plural is हम (we).
✗ मैं (main = I) is the 1st person pronoun for the speaker. Plural = हम (we). It is Uttam Purush Purushvaachak Sarvanam.
Q 3 / 10
Which "you" do you use when speaking to a teacher or elder?
✓ Correct! आप (aap) is the formal/respectful "you" — used with teachers, elders, and strangers. तू is informal (can be rude with elders). तुम is semi-formal.
✗ आप is the correct, respectful form. Using तू with a teacher is considered rude in Indian culture. When in doubt, always use आप!
Q 4 / 10
"दरवाज़े पर कोई है।" — Which type of Sarvanam is कोई?
✓ Correct! कोई is Anishchayvachak (Indefinite Pronoun) — "someone" whose identity is unknown/uncertain. If we knew who it was, we would say वह or इसका नाम (specific).
✗ कोई is Anishchayvachak (Indefinite) — "someone" of unknown identity. Compare: वह = specific known person (Nishchayvachak).
Q 5 / 10
What is the case form of मैं used with "को" (to/for)?
✓ Correct! मैं + को = मुझे/मुझको (to me). Example: मुझे किताब दो = Give me the book. मेरा = my (possessive). मैंने = I did (past). मुझसे = from me.
✗ मैं + को = मुझे (to me). Example: "मुझे पानी चाहिए" (I need water). मेरा = my | मैंने = I did | मुझसे = from me.
Q 6 / 10
In the sentence "जो करेगा, वह भरेगा।" — which type of Sarvanam is जो?
✓ Correct! जो is Sambandhvaachak (Relative Pronoun) — it connects two clauses. Notice the pair: जो...वह. "One who will do it, will bear it." Sambandhvaachak always comes in pairs.
✗ जो is Sambandhvaachak (Relative Pronoun). It connects two clauses and always appears in pairs: जो...सो or जो...वह.
Q 7 / 10
True or False: Hindi has separate pronouns for "he" and "she."
✓ Correct! False! Hindi pronouns do NOT change for gender. वह = both he and she. The verb tells you: वह गया (he went) vs वह गई (she went). This is a major difference from English.
✗ False! Hindi has NO separate pronoun for he/she. वह = both. Gender is shown by the verb ending: वह गया (he) vs वह गई (she).
Q 8 / 10
In "वह स्वयं आया।" — which type of Sarvanam is स्वयं?
✓ Correct! स्वयं is Nijvaachak (Reflexive Pronoun) — it refers back to the subject (वह) itself: "He came himself." Other Nijvaachak words: आप (oneself), खुद.
✗ स्वयं is Nijvaachak (Reflexive) — it means "oneself" and refers back to the subject. "वह स्वयं आया" = He came himself.
Q 9 / 10
Which pronoun is used to ask "Who came?" — कौन आया?
✓ Correct! कौन is Prashnavaachak (Interrogative Pronoun) — it asks a question. कौन = who? (for persons). क्या = what? (for things). Both are Prashnavaachak Sarvanam.
✗ कौन is Prashnavaachak (Interrogative Pronoun) — it asks "who?" about a person. क्या asks "what?" about a thing. Both start question sentences.
Q 10 / 10
Which sentence is grammatically CORRECT?
✓ Correct! मुझे किताब दो = Give me the book. मुझे is the case form of मैं with को (to/for me). मैं cannot be used as an object directly in Hindi — it must change to मुझे.
✗ मुझे किताब दो is correct. मैं changes to मुझे when used as object. मैं = subject only | मुझे = to me (object) | मेरा = my (possessive).
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questionsअक्सर पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्न
Sarvanam (सर्वनाम) means pronoun — a word used in place of a Sangya (noun). It avoids repetition. सर्व = all/everyone's + नाम = name. Examples: मैं, तुम, वह, यह, कोई, कौन, जो, स्वयं.सर्वनाम = संज्ञा के स्थान पर प्रयुक्त शब्द। उदाहरण: मैं, तुम, वह, कोई, कौन।
All three mean "you" but at different respect levels. तू (tu) = very informal/intimate — used with close friends, children, or in devotion to God. Using it with elders is rude. तुम (tum) = semi-formal — used with friends, siblings, and equals. आप (aap) = formal/respectful — used with elders, teachers, strangers, and in professional settings. When in doubt, always use आप.तू = अत्यंत अनौपचारिक | तुम = अनौपचारिक | आप = आदरपूर्ण (बड़ों के लिए)
Purushvaachak Sarvanam (Personal Pronoun) refers to persons in conversation. It has 3 sub-types: Uttam Purush (1st person — मैं/हम, the speaker), Madhyam Purush (2nd person — तू/तुम/आप, the listener), and Anya Purush (3rd person — वह/वे/यह/ये, the one spoken about). Hindi personal pronouns do NOT change for gender — वह means both "he" and "she."उत्तम पुरुष: मैं/हम | मध्यम पुरुष: तू/तुम/आप | अन्य पुरुष: वह/वे/यह/ये
Sarvanam is always used to REPLACE a Sangya (noun). You first introduce a noun, then use a pronoun to refer to it without repeating it. For example: "राम आया। वह थका था।" — राम (Sangya) is introduced, then वह (Sarvanam) replaces it. Without Sarvanam, every sentence would repeat the full noun name, making speech unnatural. This is why Part 5 (Sangya) must be understood before Part 6 (Sarvanam).पहले संज्ञा आती है, फिर सर्वनाम उसका स्थान लेता है। राम आया → वह थका था।
✅ Conclusion — सर्वनाम सारांश
सर्वनाम हिंदी व्याकरण का वह महत्वपूर्ण भाग है जो संज्ञा की पुनरावृत्ति को रोकता है। यह वाक्यों को सुंदर और प्रवाहमय बनाता है। सर्वनाम के 6 प्रकार, तीन पुरुष, आदर के तीन स्तर और कारक रूपों को समझना शुद्ध हिंदी के लिए अनिवार्य है।
Sarvanam (Pronoun) is the bridge between repetition and fluency in Hindi. Master the 6 types, understand Tu/Tum/Aap distinctions, and memorize the key case forms — your Hindi will sound natural and confident.
✓ 6 types learned✓ Tu/Tum/Aap mastered✓ Case forms understood✓ Cultural context learned
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